Mining bits for rock drilling and the like utilize tungsten carbide as the abrading medium and the tungsten carbide is in the form of short cylinders or buttons, known as inserts, embedded in and projecting from sockets in a steel body. In use, the tungsten carbide inserts become ineffective as a result of wear and the bit thereby is rendered useless.
Worn mining bits still contain considerable quantities of tungsten carbide, however. In view of the raw material cost of tungsten carbide, it is economically attractive to recover the worn inserts from the scrap mining bits for recycle to produce new bits.